25 
specimens in the Linnean Collection as referable to three species, 
and have described them under- the names of Stanley anus, humera- 
lis, and Cuvieri ; Latham’s description of the species named by him 
megacephalus accords so well with the P. Stanleyanus , that I sus- 
pect both those terms have been applied to one and the same species, 
an opinion strengthened by Latham’s remarks as to the great size of 
the head and mandibles of his bird, the total length of which he 
states to be thirty inches, which is evidently an error. 
After examining a large number of specimens comprising indi- 
viduals of all ages, I have come to the conclusion that the Australian 
members of this genus constitute six species; four of which, namely, 
P. megacephalus , P. hunter alis, P. Cuvieri and P. brachypterus , 
are most closely allied to each other ; and two, namely, P. plumi- 
ferus and P. Phalcenoides , which present specific characters that 
cannot be mistaken. We have then in Australia a large group of 
nocturnal birds of this form, destined, as it would seem, to keep in 
check the great families of Cicadce and Phasmidce , upon which they 
mainly subsist ; but they do not refuse other insects, and even ber- 
ries have been found in their stomachs. They are an inanimate and 
sluggish group of birds, depending less upon their powers of flight 
than upon the power they possess of traversing the branches of the 
various trees upon which their favourite insects reside ; at intervals 
during the night they sit about in open places, on rails, stumps of 
trees, on the roofs of houses and on the tombstones in the church- 
yards, omens of death, their hoarse disagreeable voice adding not a 
little to the terrors induced by their presence. 
In their nidification the Podargi differ in a most remarkable 
manner from all the other Caprimulgidce , inasmuch as while 
the eggs of the JEgothelce are deposited in the holes of trees, and 
those of the members of the other genera of this family on the 
ground, these birds construct a flat nest of small sticks on the hori- 
zontal branches of trees for the reception of theirs, which are more- 
over of the purest white. 
Although I have no satisfactory evidence that these birds resort 
to a kind of hybernation for short periods during some portions of 
the year, I must not omit to mention that I have been assured that 
they do occasionally retire to and remain secluded in the hollow 
parts of the trees ; and if such should prove to be the case, it may 
account for the extreme obesity of many of the individuals I pro- 
cured, which was often so great as to prevent me from preserving 
their skins. I trust that these remarks will cause the subject to be 
investigated by those who are favourably situated for so doing ; for 
my own part 1 see no reason why a bird should not pass a portion 
of its existence in a state of hybernation as well as some species of 
quadrupeds, animals much higher in the scale of creation. 
So great a similarity in plumage reigns throughout the first four 
of the species enumerated below that I have thought it unnecessary 
to figure more than two, viz. P. humeralis and P. Cuvieri ; the 
other two may be readily distinguished by the descriptions I have 
given of them, particularly if the localities be attended to. 
